Skip to main content

Back 4 Blood’s first DLC adds new cleaners and monsters

Back 4 Blood‘s first expansion finally has a launch date, and developer Turtle Rock Studios has already revealed the new content players can expect for its co-op zombie shooter.

Tunnels of Terror will be coming to Fort Hope on April 12th, 2022. Here's a little sneak peek on what to look forward to! pic.twitter.com/AOrigv2UuK

— Back 4 Blood (@back4blood) March 1, 2022

In a post on Twitter, Turtle Rock Studios announced that Back 4 Blood‘s first expansion of 2022 will launch on April 12. Titled Tunnels of Terror, the expansion will add two new cleaners to the game, Sharice and Heng, along with a suite of other new content. Players who purchase the expansion will also encounter three new kinds of special infected in missions — Rippers, Shredders, and Urchins — and be able to play a new PvE activity called Ridden Hives.

Recommended Videos

The expansion will also give players access to a bevy of cosmetics. While they won’t fend off the undead hordes, players can at least look good while they’re being mauled to death with some new cleaner and weapon skins. In terms of actually helpful content, 15 new cards are included in the expansion as well, along with new legendary weapons and weapon attachments.

Back 4 Blood‘s two new Cleaners seem to be the biggest addition in this expansion, although Turtle Rock Studios hasn’t shared what makes them special just yet. Each Cleaner in the game has their own special ability, with some gaining health with each melee kill and others giving their team an extra life. Sharice seems to be dressed as a firefighter, so she may have bonuses to melee damage with axes or Molotov cocktails.

Tunnels of Terror is Back 4 Blood‘s first of three expansions to launch this year. The remaining two expansions don’t have launch dates at the moment, but Back 4 Blood’s road map has confirmed that they will launch sometime in 2022.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
Back 4 Blood Swarm guide: Tips for playing PvP as Ridden or the Cleaners
Back 4 Blood Cleaners attacking Retch.

The Left 4 Dead games were marketed primarily as co-operative survival experiences. The main focus was clearly on designing a fun experience for players and their friends to work together in fighting off the swarms of the undead. The multiplayer component that put players in the role of both the human characters and the special zombie types turned out to be a simple yet surprisingly fun addition. Back 4 Blood, the spiritual sequel to those original zombie shooters by the same team, is back with its new-and-improved take on PvP in a zombie shooter.

Playing as a human in the campaign mode is very simple for most gamers to get a grip on. Aside from the nuances, it is a co-operative FPS that plays as you would expect. In the PvP mode, however, half the time, you'll be taking control of those special Ridden types you fight off during the campaign. Not only is it a major change to go from the standard FPS controls to a zombie, but each of the Ridden types also has its own abilities and best strategy. You'll need to master all the Ridden types, as well as the humans, to win in Back 4 Blood's PvP mode, so we've collected all the best tips you need to dominate.

Read more
Does Back 4 Blood support split-screen co-op play?
Back 4 Blood Cleaners in a group.

The entire premise that Back 4 Blood is based on centers around teaming up with three friends to try and survive the relentless, and seemingly endless, onslaught of Ridden. Obviously building off of the formula established with the two Left 4 Dead titles, this is a game where half the fun comes from how you and your friends respond to the unpredictable nature of the game. While there technically is a solo mode, it is heavily disincentivized compared to playing with other people. Even playing with bots is pushed as a better secondary option compared to going it alone.

That's all well and good, but what about players who want to squad up for some split-screen local co-op zombie shooting action? The Left 4 Dead games were some of the best couch co-op experiences of their day, and while the standard of games having split-screen has been slowly disappearing, many are wondering if Back 4 Blood will allow us to play with our friends on the same console. Online multiplayer is a given but isn't quite the same as having a buddy sitting right there next to you while you play. If that's how you prefer to play, you're probably wondering if Back 4 Blood supports split-screen local co-op play. Now that the game is out, here's what you need to know before you rush out and grab the latest and greatest zombie shooter.

Read more
How to heal fast in Back 4 Blood 4
Doc from back 4 Blood.

Back 4 Blood is all about survivability, especially as you near the end game. With no background healing, players will have to manage their inventory and watch for wayward bandages, pain meds, and first aid kits while on a run. While some characters have passive healing abilities, you're not always guaranteed to have those cleaners on your team (unless you assume the role of medic yourself). So how do you heal fast in Back 4 Blood? What are the best cards to play for maximum healing, and which Back 4 Blood characters will heal other players?

Is Back 4 Blood cross-platform?
How to remove attachments in Back 4 Blood
How to kill the Hag in Back 4 Blood

Read more